In celebration of the school’s first football championship since 1964, the student body, band, cheerleaders, and administrators gathered to recognize Coach Henry Frazier III and the 2009 SWAC Champions Prairie View A&M University football team for their achievements.
The event first began with a parade, in which the band, cheerleaders, and football team marched and rode down L.W. Minor Street to the Blackshear Stadium, where they were awaited by faithful members of the Panther nation. Upon arrival to the stadium, the players and coaches were individually introduced, including junior quarterback K.J. Black, who received 2009 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. Black, who gained his starting position midway through the season, also managed to lead the NCAA’s FCS division in passing efficiency.
“It’s an honor to win SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, but I didn’t do it alone,” said Black. “I feel that without my teammates, none of these achievements would’ve been possible.” Agreeing with Black, redshirt freshman Spencer Nelson, a member of Black’s receiving core added, “Being on a championship team means a lot, because we all now have championship attitudes that will carry over into the off-season.”
Redshirt junior and defensive end Quinton Spears was also honored at the 2009 SWAC Championship receiving the Defensive Player of the Year.
Aside from being awarded the championship trophy, the entire football team received keys to the city of Prairie View from Mayor Frank Jackson. President George C. Wright was also on hand to celebrate the end of the 45-year football championship drought.
Wright explained, “Athletics are a window into the university. For many prospective students, watching us on television or reading about us in a news article plays a significant role in their decision to attend the university. Upon arrival, they are exposed to the many outstanding academic programs that we have to offer, but sports often serve as the door to the university. Our recent achievements on the football field will add to that success.”
Frazier, who is 25-5 in the past three seasons as head coach, inherited the program in 2004. At the time, Frazier was entering what many considered the “graveyard of college football coaches,” seeing how the school had a combined record of 9-55 since 1998, after first experiencing seven straight winless seasons from 1991-1997, a streak which has yet to be surpassed by any other program in the NCAA.
During Frazier’s first three years at Prairie View he and his staff managed to maintain an 11-21 record, and it seemed as if the program was headed in a new direction. After the team’s 7-3 record in 2007, Frazier had delivered the first winning season at PVAMU since 1988. Now, after leading the Panthers to a championship season, Frazier finds himself on a pedestal among other college coaches, receiving honorary Coach of the Year Awards from Pigskins Club of Washington D.C., SWAC, College Sporting News, American Football Coaches Association (Region III), Boxtorow.com/BASN, the ESPN HBCU Notebook and the Black College Sports Page.
Frazier said, “The biggest part of our program is consistency. My coaching staff and I have been together for five years now, and we’re able to consistently bring new talent in and red-shirt our younger guys, so that they can have time to focus on school and develop their talent. We make sure our guys are prepared before we start counting on them.”
After winning the SWAC Championship it seems as if the Prairie View A&M University football program is no longer the laughing stock of collegiate athletics. Limiting opponents’ third down conversion to only 40 percent, the team’s defense, led by Spears played a significant role in this year’s success.
Assistant Linebacker’s Coach John Pearce said, “Our defensive line, and secondary were very experienced this year. However, aside from senior Renoldo Revuelta, our line backing core had limited experience. We have to improve on our line backing core, and our defense as a whole, so that we can compete for another championship next season.”
Athletic Director Fred Washington said, “In terms of recruitment, you can’t buy the publicity we’re getting right now. With us being featured in a variety of major publications and in Washington D.C. is huge. As a result, when aspiring collegiate athletes look for a place to play, it’s not hard to sell the program to them, because our hard work is doing it for us.”